To celebrate its 140th anniversary on April 26, The Coloradoan in Fort Collins, Colo., partnered with local business Odell Brewing Co. to brew a special anniversary beer called Press Pale Ale.

After some beer tasting at the brewery, the diverse palates of the newspaper’s staffers selected the white coffee pale ale as the paper’s ambassador. The grog was poured at an anniversary party May 2, and guests received logo pint glasses as a gift.

Publisher Judi Terzotis described Fort Collins as the “Napa Valley of beer,” as it is home to many nationally recognized craft beers and breweries. Terzotis said the Coloradoan’s readership is passionate about beer not just for its taste, but because it makes up an important part of the local economy. An anniversary beer seemed like the perfect fit to celebrate the paper’s milestone.

Terzotis said beer reporter David Young called Odell Brewing Co. co-owner Doug Odell with the proposal and after 15 minutes, Odell was on board.

Odell marketing and branding manager Amanda Johnson-King said the brewery typically collaborates with local restaurants, and she called the partnership with the paper “unique.”

“It lets us share what makes us tick since beer is such a big part of our community,” she said. “We get to extend our knowledge to our local media partner and help them reach a new audience while incorporating some fun into their world.”

The white coffee pale ale is a first for Odell, and Johnson-King said there may be plans to distribute the beer for a limited time at local restaurants.

Social media also played a big part in selecting the beer’s name. The winning name, Press Pale Ale, was chosen by readers from a top five list.

“This was a way for us to think creatively,” Terzotis said. “By partnering with Odell, it sends a real strong message that we’re giving back to the community. All it took was one call to reach out.”

A lot has changed since the Coloradoan first started publishing as the Larimer County Express in 1873. Terzotis said the digital transformation will continue to grow, such as the metered online subscription that launched last April, which Terzotis described as a success. “Our market is saavy,” she said.